


Summit of Extreme Importance, A

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode: s07e18 Transition, F/M, Friendship, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-27
Updated: 2008-07-27
Packaged: 2019-05-15 04:07:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14783312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Someone has put two and two togather and figured out that there's something going on.





	Summit of Extreme Importance, A

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

A/N: I haven’t written West Wing Fan Fiction in about two years but I started reading some of my favorite stories last week and got a little inspired. So here is a little story which I had a thought about. It doesn’t quite work with Transition exactly (Kazakhstan, what Kazakhstan?) but it was a fun thought and a fun write.

 

Matthew Santos strode into C.J.’s office, his secret service detail standing at the ready at the doors outside her office.

“C.J., thank you for seeing me on such short notice”

C.J. was confused, she had just yelled at Josh about Matt Santos’ behavior not two hours ago and now he was here. She steeled herself for the conversation that was to follow. “Sir, what can I do for you?”

“Well, this actually isn’t about…well; it’s not about politics or anything. This is not a work related inquiry. I have a question of a somewhat personal nature to ask you.”

“Well sir…I mean, I’ll try…” C.J was very confused, she could not imagine this man had the right to ask her about her personal life and, anyway, did he know something? She looked up nervously.

“What do you know about Josh Lyman’s love life?”

She was not expecting that. “Pardon?”

“Josh Lyman, Deputy Chief of Staff for the Bartlet Administration for seven years. My former campaign manager, current head of my transition team and future Chief of Staff, what do you know about his romantic liaisons?”

“Well, Sir, that’s not really a question for me, you should really ask Josh about…” C.J. stopped abruptly. She realized there must have been a reason for the nature of the question. She hoped that something had not happened, something that would necessitate a loved-one getting involved. She started to worry about her recent admittedly difficult behavior towards Josh and what that had, perhaps, pushed Josh to do. She started again, “…Yeah, okay. So far as I know he hasn’t had a girlfriend in about three years. But I know his mother lives in Florida…if there is some kind of problem…”

“No, no…no problem per se. But may I ask, I know that Josh is a pretty successful guy and compared to most guys in politics and my wife tells me he’s not bad looking. I’m sure he could have dated someone. Any idea why no girlfriend?”

The corners of C.J.’s lips twitched up, “No one will have him.”

Matt Santos smiled. “Oh, I suspect that’s not it.”

“To be honest, I…well, it’s complicated.”

“This doesn’t involve someone else, does it?”

“Well Sir, um, I feel somewhat uncomfortable with this discussion.”

“Do you think this might have something to do with liking a girl, I mean woman, who was working on another campaign during the primary?”

“I don’t know what you mean sir.”

“Do you know Donna Moss?”

C.J. was not surprised at the mention of Donna’s name, but felt that it was not her place to discuss the ins and outs of that particular relationship. It was so complicated before Donna quit she couldn’t have done it. Truth be told, she didn’t know what that relationship was any more, except that now it seemed messier and even more complicated. “Yes sir, quite well, she’s actually been staying with me since she arrived back in Washington D.C. She sublet her apartment while out on the campaign trail and the women renting it from her won’t have to leave until January 1.”

“Well, Donna’s not technically working for me anymore, except as a transition volunteer, but my wife seems to have poached her from me. Regardless, she seems to be taking a week vacation. Do you know when I found out about this?”

C.J. was surprised about Donna’s vacation. Shouldn’t Donna have mentioned it? Donna was a guest in C.J.’s home. “No sir, I can honestly say I don’t, in fact, I didn’t even know she was planning on taking a vacation. I can’t imagine if she has something planned she wouldn’t have mentioned it to me…”

“Well, I found out about it approximately 30 minutes before I came to see you.”

“Okay.”

“From my wife.”

“Okay…”

“It seems that my wife offered Donna a position as her Chief of Staff…”

“That’s wonderful!” With that good news the mystery that Matt Santos was attempting to lay out was briefly forgotten. But she was quickly brought back down to earth.

Santos continued, “I don’t think so, but that’s not relevant to this discussion. It seems that Donna called to accept the position, informed my wife she would be leaving for a week to go on vacation with a _friend_ and that she agreed to accept the position because she would be unable to work in my administration anyway.”

“Pardon.”

“C.J., she told my wife that it was likely that she wouldn’t be able to work directly for my administration anyway, and she would be honored to work for Helen.”

“Well, I’m a little mad she didn’t call me but I don’t see what…”

“C.J., Approximately an hour and a half ago Josh Lyman walked into my office, introduced me to someone I had never met before who said he would be covering for Josh and Josh requested that he be allowed to take a vacation, effective immediately…”

“Wait, what?”

“Josh Lyman is going on vacation. Today. Effective immediately. Donna Moss is going on vacation. Today. Effective immediately. Donna can not work for my administration directly in the future.”

“Oh My God.”

“In addition, Ronna, my secretary, giggled when she heard about Donna going on vacation at the exact same time as Josh, and shared with me some information which was relevant to the matter. I decided to get some back story in order to get the whole picture before I jumped to the wild conclusions she had jumped to…C.J., is there something I should know? Is there something you know?”

“Sir, if you can excuse me for a moment.”

C.J. got up and knocked on the door which separated her office from the Oval Office. A muffled “come in” was heard and C.J. entered the room. 

“Sir, I know you’re in the middle of something by I was wondering if you would have some time to speak with President-Elect Santos regarding a matter of considerable importance to this administration. He has some information that I think you need to be aware of.”

President Bartlet raised his head to look at C.J. quizzically. She had that smile on her face she often got when someone lovely happened and the President knew immediately that whatever this was, it was going to be good and something he wanted to get in on.

“Sure, I need a break anyway.” Said President Bartlet, putting down his briefing book and taking off his glasses. He got up to greet Matt Santos as he was escorted into the Oval by C.J.

“So, C.J. tells me you have something you want to discuss with me.” The President smiled, rubbing his hands together gleefully.

“Well, sir,” said Santos, not sure what to make of this development, “I was just asking C.J. what she knew of Josh Lyman’s recent romantic entanglements. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been asked to bother you with this question.”

C.J. raised an eyebrow and looked at President Bartlet. “Apparently Josh has gone on a vacation…”

“Well, that is good news!” the President interrupted, “Josh never takes a vacation. The last one he took was, what, two years ago? And that was when he went to Germany which was hardly a pleasure trip…in fact I don’t think I’d call it a vacation at all…”

C.J. needed to stop this train of thought as well, “Yes sir, I wouldn't have called that a vacation either. In fact, I don't recall Josh ever taking more than an day or two off for pleasure, and then he mostly would cancel. We’re all very glad Josh is going on vacation. Apparently he decided he had to go on vacation today, immediately. Interesting coincidence, Donna Moss has also informed people that she will, unexpectedly, be taking a vacation as of today.” C.J. could see the President’s eyes twinkling.

“Really?”

“Yes sir, an apparently Donna is going to be taking a job as Helen Santos’ Chief of Staff.”

“She’ll be wonderful in that position!”

“Yes sir, I agree. Apparently she decided that she could not work directly for the Santos administration.”

“I’m not quite sure what’s going on here…” Matt Santos interjected a confused look on his face.

“Well, it seems obvious that Josh Lyman and Donna Moss have finally removed their heads from their asses.” The President snorted. 

The President then sauntered over to his desk and removed from there a large manila envelope. Out of the envelope he removed a folded piece of paper which he then unfolded and spread out onto his desk. The envelope still looked like it contained something…quite a lot of something actually.

“Well let’s see. It’s 2006, which means we can ignore this part. It’s now late November…do we have any evidence of anything before late November?”

Matt Santos was surprised at this reaction but filled in the blanks, “According to my assistant, there is hard evidence that they consummated a relationship on Election Day.”

“Okay, early November. Pending additional evidence to the contrary the winner is…Sam!”

“Really, Sam?” C.J. interjected, “Funny, I got a call from him today, I haven’t had a chance to return it.”

Bartlet continued, “Ah, I see, Sam had a pretty good strategy. He picked the day after the 2002 election, the day of my second inauguration and the day after the 2006 election.”

“Wait? You took bets on them?” Santos was confused.

C.J. turned to explain, “Well, after the shooting, you know, after we knew Josh would be okay and we all saw how Donna took care of him…”

Bartlet interrupted, “I was forced to stay in bed for two weeks. I was bored. So, toward the end of my forced incarceration, we decided to set this up. I got to create the pool and took care of all the money.”

C.J. interrupted. “It was clear that she was crazy about him. I wasn’t so sure about the other way around. At least not until much later.”

“Same with Leo. Although it was only a few years later. He told me when we set this up that we were acting like children and he wanted no part of it, but about a year later he told me he wished he had gotten in on the action. Okay Claudia Jean, get Sam Seaborn on the phone for me. We need to tell him that he’s $1075 richer…not that he needs the money anymore.”

“Wait, Sam Seaborn?”

“Yes. Why?”

“He’s the person covering for Josh for the next week.”

“Sam’s in Washington?” The President exclaimed.

“So that’s why he called me!”

“Well, get him on the phone C.J., and tell him to get his butt over here!”

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Fifteen minutes later Sam Seaborn strode into the Oval Office. He had no idea why he had been summoned. He hadn’t even been in the Oval Office since the first term of the Bartlet administration. “Sir?” he said, looking confused.

“Sam!” came Bartlet's effusive greeting, “Sam come over here and give me a hug! Isn’t this a great day!”

Now Sam was even more confused, what with President-Elect Santos sitting right there in one of the wing-backed chairs and C.J. grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

“Well sir, I suppose it is. What makes you think it is?”

C.J. took the opportunity to cross the room and pull Sam into a big bear-hug. “Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam…” she said.

“Uh-oh, what did I do.”

“Nothing wrong my boy. Hey, I heard that Josh was going on vacation!”

“Yes sir. I told him he had to go. I'll be assisting with the transition for the next week.”

“Do you know who else is leaving for vacation tonight?”

“No?”

“Donna.”

“Hunh? Well, that’s an odd coincidence. No wonder I couldn’t find her when I went to say hi.”

“Sam,” said C.J., “We’re fairly sure it’s not a coincidence. Donna only decided to leave for vacation about an hour ago.”

“Wait, so, are you saying…”

“We’re pretty sure…” C.J. twinkled at him.

Sam reviewed the people grinning at him. “While that would be wonderful news, I specifically asked Josh about his love-life not 48 hours ago and he…obfuscated actually. I guess he just avoided the question. But that’s hardly proof that he’s in a relationship.”

Matt Santos spoke up, “I have direct corroboration that Donna and Josh were spending time together, alone, in his hotel room, on Election Day, and that they could not, or would not, open the door when it was knocked upon.”

Sam stood there, looking like a fish, his mouth agape.

The President forged onward, “Sam, do you recall, after Rosslyn, we all picked three dates. Well, you seem to have come closest to the date we can confirm consummation…”

“Sir, wow, really…”

C.J. Grinned widened if that was possible, “But what I really want to know Sam, how did you guess so closely?”

“Well, it seemed pretty obvious. Either we’d loose the reelection and there would be no reason for them not to sleep together; we’d be done with this election-cycle, and there’d be no reason not to sleep together; or they would drink too much and fall in bed together during your second inauguration. I’m a bit sad; if they had waited a little longer the money would have gone to charity.”

C.J. grinned at Sam, "You have no idea how close you came to winning this thing four years ago, the inauguration one was a good bet too."

“And I know of at least one person in this room who will be unemployed after January 20, so if you’d like to donate to my retirement fund…”

Sam smiled at that thought, “Thank you sir, but I was thinking of someone actually needy. Or, you know, we could put this money to good use and find a relationship counselor for them so it doesn’t take nine years for him to propose.”

Sam was now smiling ear to ear thinking of the conversation he would have with Josh when he returned from vacation. And the one he would have with Donna when she got back too. His two best friends were finally together and he couldn’t wait to hear the details.


End file.
